Kill Two Birds with One Stone - Flu Fighting and Hangover Cure Abalone Porridge

Back in the days when I used to have a few drinks during the weekends in SoCal, some of us Asians like to venture to K-town and have a bowl of abalone porridge as night time comfort food. It works kind of like the hot dog from a stand adjacent to clubs and bars. The warmth and soothing feeling you get after a crazy night, there must be something magical about abalone porridge and hot dogs.

Abalone Porridge -

Ingredients (makes about one big pot)?

• 2 1/2 cups uncooked white rice (regular cups, not the smaller rice cups)
• 2 canned abalone (save the juice inside, about 2 1/2 cups)
• 6 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 small medium carrot
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 stalk scallion
• 1 tablespoon white sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 raw egg yolks
• Some dried seaweed threads
• Few dashes fish sauce (optional)

How?

My version of abalone porridge is much more condensed and packed with actual abalone slices compared to the one sold in K-town. You can always dilute it down, but since I'm making it myself, I prefer to eat like a queen.

Remove abalones from the cans and save the juice. 

Slice the abalone to bite size pieces.

Peel and grate the ginger. Peel and finely dice the carrot. Remove the stems from shiitake mushrooms and cube the caps. Destem and chop the scallion.

Take a clay pot, drizzle some lighter tasting white sesame oil and add in grated ginger. Turn to medium heat and wait till the surface gets hot. Wait till that gingery aroma comes out, sear for a little bit longer, but not burning the bits.

Add in carrot, shiitake, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Give it a quick stir and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add in uncooked white rice, I use basmati rice here. Give it a few flips, making sure every grain is coated with oil.

Pour in abalone juice, I've got about 2 1/2 cups here, also pour in 5 cups of chicken stock. If you can't get that much of abalone juice from the cans, just substitute with chicken stock. 

Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Put on the lid and cook till the grains reach desired texture. Remember to check and stir once a while to prevent the bottom from browning or sticking to the pot. Add more stock if needed, especially if a more watery texture is desired.

Add the abalone slices towards the end, just leave enough time to warm up the pieces.

Fish sauce can add more depth to the porridge. So towards the end, instead of salt, use fish sauce to adjust the taste when needed. 

When the porridge is about done, turn off the heat and mix in two raw egg yolks. Gently blending the yolks together with other ingredients.

Scoop the porridge to serving bowls. Sprinkle with chopped scallion and top with some dried seaweed threads right before serving.

As shown in the pictures, my version of abalone porridge is much thicker. Use at least 2 more cups of stock for a more diluted porridge. Also once stored in the fridge, the stock can further get absorbed by the grains and dried out. So add more stock when reheating the porridge, it'll "revitalize" the porridge.

Packed with umami and easy to eat. With a more watery version, it can also be a great flu fighting meal. How about hangover cure? You bet.


Another abalone recipe:

• Braised abalone with bok choy